Miànduì péngyǒu de kùnjìng, tā àimònéngzhù, xīnlǐ fēicháng nánshòu.
Faced with his friend's predicament, he was powerless to help and felt deeply distressed.
Tips
usage
This idiom expresses genuine sympathy combined with genuine inability. It is important not to use it as an excuse — in Chinese culture, saying 爱莫能助 should convey real regret rather than indifference.
memory
Break it down: 爱 (love/willing) + 莫 (no/cannot) + 能 (able) + 助 (help) = 'willing, but unable to help.' The 莫 and 能 together form the negative capability: 莫能 = cannot manage to.
